Nick Knowles built the pyramids

HISTORY, as you know, is a difficult subject, thanks to the sheer breadth of things that have happened. However, certain things have happened in the past that are so wonderful that you should probably know the basics of them all.

However, when you ask teenagers about anything, a rollercoaster of answers may come your way. For example, did you know that one in ten teens think that Nick Knowles built the pyramids?

Hotel group Premier Inn, for some inexplicable reason, decided to conduct a study about our knowledge of history, and found that one tenth of the people that will populate the future, thought that dead-eyed TV handyman and gameshow host, Nick Knowles was responsible for Pyramids that are older than Jesus Christ.

10% of teenagers also think that William Shakespeare is the chairman of the BBC. We can but dream.

Other clangers by these spotty creatures included the idea that the Duchess of Cornwall and Delia Smith were wives of Henry VIII and that one in ten youngsters thought Arsenal’s Emirates Stadium was older than St Paul’s Cathedral and Westminster Abbey.

“We are a bit surprised by the fact youngsters don’t know their Shakespeare from Sir Alan or where many of the major historical events took place in the UK.

“However it’s something that can be easily rectified by visiting all the fantastic landmarks and places of interest the UK has to offer. A third of the school kids questioned said they love learning about history in school and with so much culture on our doorstep it’s important to get kids out and about to experience things first-hand.

“However it’s not surprising with families under financial pressure that days out and trips away may have suffered.”

Poverty does deny you trips out, but surely it doesn’t make you deaf in class?